


Preparing for Happiness

by FreshBrains



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Established Relationship, F/F, Family, Fluff, Happy Ending, Magic, Married Couple, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, POV Mulan, Pillow Talk, Plotty, Pregnancy, Protectiveness, The Enchanted Forest, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-10-17
Packaged: 2018-02-21 12:11:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2467841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreshBrains/pseuds/FreshBrains
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I cannot believe this,” Aurora said, voice high and tight.  “We were so happy, so terrifically <i>happy.</i>”</p>
<p>“And we will be,” Mulan assured, wondering how she could possibly utter words so empty to her brilliant Aurora.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Preparing for Happiness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy, Sumi! <3

Mulan ducked beneath the leaves of the cherry blossom tree and smiled.  “Out here again?”

Aurora looked up, her auburn curls settling around her bare shoulders.  She grinned sheepishly.  “Are you really surprised?”  She extended a hand, beckoning Mulan to come sit next to her on the lush green grass. 

“Of course not.”  Mulan sat next to her wife, placing a basket between their bodies.  “I brought you some fruit and sweets.  I know you’ve been wanting cocoa lately, but I couldn’t find any—“

“Ooh, apple pie,” Aurora breathed, lifting the soft blue cloth covering the basket.  Her eyes closed in ecstasy as she took in the spicy scent.  “Did the queen send it?”

“Perhaps,” Mulan said uneasily.  “You may notice a slice is missing.”

“Oh, you,” Aurora chided, cutting another wedge from the pie.  “Queen Regina has changed.  She’s kind to our kingdom now that Maleficent is…no longer with us.”

Mulan’s eyes flashed dark at the mention of the dead woman’s name.  “It cannot hurt to be cautious.  I think we’ve learned that the hard way.”  She slid the basket towards the roots of the tree and sat closer to Aurora, sliding an arm around her waist.  

Aurora leaned back thankfully.  Her large stomach was becoming tiresome during her long days at the castle.  She looked up, her eyes sparkling blue in the sunlight coming through the leaves.  “You’re silly, but you’re my warrior.  Thank you for protecting me.  Unless…” Aurora gasped and leaned away.  “Did you taste the pie _yourself_?”

Mulan blushed.  “Just a small taste.  Ling taught me how to taste for toxins in the army and I—“

“I can’t believe you sometimes,” Aurora grumbled, taking another small bite of pie.  “You worry so for my safety, yet you put yourself in harm’s way.  You must allow us to take care of _each other_ , my love.”

Mulan lowered her head, cowed.  She knew her wife was right—she usually was.  Though Mulan was trained in battle, Aurora had seen the very darkest parts of their world and other worlds, and she was no child.  “I know.  But…the baby.  I worry.”

Aurora softened, her face melting into pure love and affection as it did whenever they spoke of their unborn daughter.  “I do, too.  We both worry too much for our own good.”  Aurora settled back into Mulan’s arms and gazed down the grassy hill at the prospering kingdom before them and the village beyond.  “Things are so perfect now.  He must prepare ourselves to be happy.”

Mulan nodded, her stomach still in a worried knot.  “I shall try.”

*

Belle often visited Red and Snow in the kingdom and whenever she came by, she loved to visit Aurora’s library.  Rumple had an amazing collection, of course, but Aurora’s mother amassed quite the treasure of books on spells, magic, and chants before she passed.  Mulan liked the library as well—the pale wood shelves, the warm paper scent, the plush jewel-purple rug—and she made a point to spend an afternoon with her old friend when she was in the Enchanted Forest.

“How goes the research?”  Mulan stepped into the bright room and removed her belt, letting her sword rest against the heavy desk. 

Belle looked up and smiled, her chestnut hair falling in messy curls around her face.  “Very well, thank you.  Despite living in his castle for months now, it seems Rumple and I keep finding furniture that has not quite…”

“Settled?” Mulan offered, smiling. 

Belle laughed.  “Yes, I suppose that’s one way of saying it.  The dancing feather dusters are becoming tiresome.  I wasn’t sure I would be able to find anything until I got the raven from Aurora’s godmother.”  She opened a heavy book on the desk.

Mulan’s smile faded.  “Raven?  What raven?”

Belle’s brow crinkled in confusion and she pointed to the closed window.  “It came around noon with a note simply signed Godmother.”  An ink-black raven sat on the sill outside, feathers like oil in the sunlight, eyes like onyx.  When Mulan looked over, it gave a forlorn _caw_ and flew off. 

Mulan swallowed hard, bile threatening to rise in her thoat.  “Impossible.  That’s impossible, Aurora doesn’t have a Godmother.”  She stood behind the desk to examine the dusty text Belle had selected.  “What does this say?”

“It’s about curses,” Belle said, reading the foreign language with ease.  “The breaking of them, to be specific.”  Belle shook her head.  “I’m confused.  I figured Aurora would be happy to find her kin once more.”

“Not this kin,” Mulan said, and retrieved her sword from its resting place.

*

Aurora’s arm stiffened beneath Mulan’s but she didn’t let go as they strode down the stone steps to the throne room.  “I cannot believe this,” Aurora said, voice high and tight.  “We were so happy, so terrifically _happy._ ”

“And we will be,” Mulan assured, wondering how she could possibly utter words so empty to her brilliant Aurora.  “I won’t let her near you, and neither will Regina.”

Aurora paused before the doors to the throne room, her long skirts shushing against the thick red carpet.  She turned to face Mulan and held out her hands for Mulan to hold.  “Just tell me again.  I can say it to myself until I’m blue in the face, but I need _you_ to say it too.”

Mulan smiled softly, looking deep into Aurora’s eyes.  Aurora’s fingers tightened around her own.  “We’ll be fine, my rose.  We’ll be happy.”

“Come in and stop waltzing around my door,” the queen called, voice bored and muffled from the throne room.

Aurora took a deep breath and motioned for the guards to open the doors.

When Regina saw them, her mouth quirked into a knowing smile.  She straightened in her chair, suddenly interested in her guests.  “Princess Aurora and Sir Mulan.  What a surprise.”

“You must know why we’re here,” Aurora said, hand pressed to her belly as she waddled slowly towards the throne.  She remained upright as Mulan bowed.  “You always said you could sense magic in this land.”

Regina raised a regal eyebrow, looking like a cool Persephone in her blood-red dress and black jacket.  The dark always suited her, even after she started using light magic.  “And I still can.  Now instead of playing guessing games, tell me what’s going on.”

Aurora glanced at Mulan, eyes darting nervously, and Mulan cleared her throat.  “Maleficent is back, your Highness.”

Regina’s eyes widened, but only for a moment before she glanced out the large bay window of the throne room towards her apple tree in the courtyard.  “Now you have my attention.”

*

“This is lovely,” Aurora breathed, head lolling on her shoulders.  “You should be paid to do this, we’d be the wealthiest kingdom in the land.” 

Mulan dug her fingers harder into the meat of Aurora’s back, rubbing the sore, overworked spots on her spine.  The scent of massage oil wafted up, warming Mulan’s senses.  She couldn’t help but find Aurora incredibly arousing in this state—naked and flushed pink on the bed, looking plump and soft and glowing with child.  And anytime Aurora let Mulan take care of her was extra special.  “My father had back pain so I learned how to soothe the muscles.  I hate to see you in discomfort.”

Aurora hummed in contentment, sinking further into the plush blankets of their canopy bed, settling into the cradle of Mulan’s legs.  “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I’m afraid I’ve been in discomfort since my seventh moon with child.”

Mulan pouted.  “I wish you’d tell me.  I’d do anything—fetch you sweets, find someone to play you music.  Maybe get Robin to spar with me since you enjoy seeing me floor him.”

Aurora craned her neck so she could look back at Mulan.  “You’re too kind to me.  You know, there are some things not even my brave warrior can fix.”

Mulan knew they couldn’t ignore their day for long.  “I told you I will not let her near us.  We’ll be safe.  I fended off Pan, I can certainly fend off a disgraced fairy.”  Regina sent them home with instructions to leave the dirty work to her, and it weighed heavily on Mulan, not doing more to protect Aurora.

Aurora sighed and eased herself off the bed, reaching for her dressing gown.  “I believe you.  I’ve _always_ believed you, my love.  But my beliefs have been tried time and time again and I’m tired of putting them on the line.”

Mulan frowned.  “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” Aurora started, wrapping her robe tighter around her, “we just need to be careful.  I remember the stories they told about my mother, how it started with ravens and letters and little harmless curses here and there.  Then it turned into a wakeless sleep.” Aurora swallowed hard.  “What if she’s after our child?”

Mulan’s chest ached as she looked at Aurora’s dour face, the pert line of her nose and chin downturned and pinched.  “Come back to bed.  Rest now, and we’ll talk more.”

Aurora settled in next to Mulan, letting Mulan drape a warm hand over her stomach.  “It makes sense, which is the saddest part.  My mother thought they banished Maleficent and Maleficent returned.  I thought Maleficent was dead and she was _obviously_ not.  And even though the Savior supposedly slayed Maleficent, we receive a raven from her.”  Aurora nibbled on her fingernail.  “What if she’ll never stop?”

Mulan laid still next to her, exhaustion and nerves gnawing heavily on her mind.  She wanted to comfort Aurora, assure her that everything was going to be alright, but she knew she couldn’t promise that.  She saved her own kingdom with nothing more than a fan and a firework—why was it so hard to do the same for Aurora?  “The queen will send for us tomorrow.  We’ll find out our fate then.”

*

“Well, well.  Look at our little Aurora now.”

Mulan was up and out of bed in an instant, scrabbling for both her sword and a candle on the washstand.  Aurora groaned restlessly beside her.  “Who’s there?”  Before she could light the candle, the room filled with a somber purple glow.

Maleficent smiled wickedly, her eyes like that of an adder’s.  “You really must hire better guardsmen.  It was pitifully easy to enter your castle.”  She was even more ghastly than Mulan ever imagined—when she came back, she came back half-woman, half-dragon.  Her face was lined with black scales and one eye glowed green, the other a cold blue.  She wore black skirts like a human queen but a whipping tale slithered behind her.

Mulan unsheathed her sword and held it aloft, standing at the foot of the bed to shield Aurora.  “Aurora, wake now,” she said, keeping her eyes on Maleficent.  “She’s here.”

Maleficent laughed, the purple fire from her staff intensifying.  “She won’t be waking to see me.  More’s the pity, I rather missed the wretched creature.”

Before Mulan could stop herself, the tip of her sword was at Maleficent’s throat.  Rage simmered in her veins as an icy sweat broke out across her forehead.  “What have you done to her?”  The thought of Aurora under another sleeping curse—Aurora and their _baby_ , alone in that fiery room forever—made her want to slice Maleficent to ribbons right there in the bedchamber. 

Maleficent rolled her eyes and hissed like a reptile.  “Oh, calm your nerves.  I just used a little blue pixie dust.  She’ll wake in mere minutes.  But I’ll no longer be here.”

“Why?  What have to come for?  Why do you bother my wife?”

Maleficent’s face fell a little at that and she glanced at Aurora on the bed with distaste.  Mulan shifted, keeping Aurora out of Maleficent’s gaze.  “My Aurora should not have wed a warrior.  She’s a princess and deserves a _prince._ Or,” she said, raising her staff, “a _queen_.”  The fire simmered with flecks of black.  “And with her child in my grasp, I can take back the power of this kingdom.”

“No,” Mulan gasped, lancing out with her sword, but not before the bedchamber burst open again in a flurry of gold smoke and black velvet. 

“Oh, old friend,” Regina said, arms raised and coiled with a curse, “there’s only one queen in this kingdom, and she has little use for a new baby.” She unclenched her fists, releasing a fiery burst upon Maleficent’s form.

Mulan shielded Aurora, the heat washing over her and singeing the edges of her night-shift.  All she could see amidst the blaze and Maleficent’s screams was Aurora’s peaceful face, her lashes fanning down on her pinks cheeks, her mouth set in a serene smile.

“Hold on,” she whispered, gritting her teeth.  She held her hands over Aurora’s ears, hoping she would not wake to hear Maleficent burn. 

All went quiet, save for the gentle crackle of embers on the stone floor and Regina’s heavy, tired breathing.  Mulan looked over her shoulder at their savior.  “How did you know?”

Regina sighed, straightening the ties of her velvet robe.  “Just as your wife said—I can always sense magic in the kingdom.  It seems the dragon awakened beneath the kingdom when I brought magic back to the castle.  When her raven Diablo found out, he got the curse-breaking spell from Aurora’s library and took it to his mistress so she could take human form.”  She wrinkled her nose and waved her hand in the air, disposing of the pile of ashes.  “Or at least partly.”

“How can I ever repay you?”  Mulan stood before Regina, feeling only a little silly in her bare feet with her sword in one hand.  But since Regina in her dressing gown, her hair in a soft braid down her back, she didn’t waste too much time on embarrassment.

Regina glanced at Aurora.  “Take care of your wife and child.  And, for the love of the kingdom, do _not_ answer any more unfamiliar ravens in the library.  I really must talk to Belle about that.”  With that, she sashayed out of the bedchamber, already hollering at her guardsmen.

Mulan stood in the middle of the room, suddenly exhausted.  She let her sword drop to the floor with a _clank._

“Mulan?” Aurora grumbled from the bed, sitting up.  “What are you doing with your sword at this time of night?”

Mulan smiled, rushing to Aurora’s side.  “That would be the thing to wake you, wouldn’t it?”

Aurora lit the candle and Mulan was thankful for the warm yellow light.  Aurora tensed.  “Are you alright, love?  You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Mulan shook her head.  “No ghosts, no monsters.”  She kissed the top of Aurora’s head, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair.  “Just us.”  She considered telling Aurora of Maleficent’s escape, of the way Regina came in to save them both, of the way she would’ve willingly laid down her life for a chance for Aurora and the baby to live and be happy.

 “Just us,” Aurora agreed with a yawn, pulling Mulan back into bed.  “Just our family.”

Explanations could all wait for another day.  Mulan curled up next to Aurora and slept a sound, dreamless sleep in the warmth of her wife’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Death of a minor villain character, fantasy violence. No pregnancy complications, no heavy angst.


End file.
